July 22, 2011 (La Mesa)--According to Financial Planning, on Friday TNS released a new study which revealed that 87% of Americans with $500,000 or more in investable assets feel that the size of the US government's deficit is a major concern for them.

April 16, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--The market has not reacted much to the budget agreement that finally came late Friday night. This void of impact is due largely to the fact that the “budget fight is not over” but also because several other factors threaten to have an even greater impact on the overall market. We’ll brief you on them in chronological order…

February 17, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- We had been updating you throughout 2010 on Congress’ inaction in addressing the estate tax debacle. It seems as though this inaction and deaths of four billionaires alone last year cost the federal government roughly $6.5 billion in taxes. Yikes!

So the debate is over, for now, with the 11th hour passing of “The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010″ on December 16th. This fix is temporary for only two years, therefore the debate now begins on what to do after 2012.

October 5, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- We all know that credit cards are useful parts of our technology filled lives. They add flexibility and simplicity to our consumerism driven world, but they can also be dangerous. With the average American now holding four credit cards and one out of every seven people in possession of more than 10 cards it is important to stay current on the laws and regulations that govern their use and affect you.

July 9, 2010 (La Mesa) -- We have just received notification that two of our top-rated carriers, John Hancock & Metlife, will be raising rates for new policies. If you have already secured your long term care policy, CONGRATULATIONS…you made a great decision! If you have been considering taking out a long term care insurance policy, please contact an independent Long Term Care Insurance (LTCI) agent right away for quotes. (See below for tips on what to look for.)

A column written for the East County Magazine

“Your guide to financial planning & socially responsible investing”

By Judith L. Seid, CFP ®
President, Blue Summit Financial Group

April 1st, 2010 (San Diego) --The rules of finance have changed since the economic collapse that began in October 2008. The global financial crisis, due largely to unregulated corporations engaging in greed-driven behavior, has caused us to re-think what is currently considered good financial advice.

So on this April 1st, 2010, I hereby concur that we have a new set of “foolish” financial rules to live by. Here is my top ten list:

President George W. Bush's 10-year, $1.35 trillion across-the-board tax cut, passed in 2001, included a slow-but-steady reduction of the amount of wealth that is subject to "the death tax." Under the law, the value of an inheritance exempt from estate taxation increased from $1 million in 2001 to $3.5 million in 2009. In addition, the tax rate on inheritances larger than that decreased from 55% to 45%. And currently with a $3.5m exemption amount, this allows a couple who have done proper estate planning to leave a $7m estate completely free of federal estate taxes to their heirs.

But this tax is scheduled to revert to the 2001 pre-Bush levels (55% rate on estates over $1 million); unless Congress takes action this year and passes new legislation.